Multi-core microprocessor (MCP) chips comprise a plurality of independent digital signal processor (DSP) cores on one single integrated circuit (IC) chip package, and are useful and efficient structures for central processing unit (CPU) and System-on-a-chip or System on Chip (SoC or SOC) applications. The provision of pluralities of individual instruction processing cores enables higher computation capacity relative to single processor chip structures. Computer systems incorporating MCP's usually consume less power and have a lower cost and higher reliability than alternative multi-chip systems, as well as provide assembly cost advantages by requiring fewer physical system components.
As with single processor chip structures, MCP processors must meet performance specifications for a given operating environment input(s), wherein each core must generally demonstrate one or more specified clock rates in response to a common power supply voltage. However, particularly with respect to sub-100 nanometer semiconductor applications, individual MCP processing cores may have different performance characteristics due to with-in chip process variations.
Generally, the probability that an MCP will meet the performance specifications for a given specific operating environment diminishes in proportion to the number of individual processing cores on the MCP. This is due in part to the fact that while most of the individual cores may meet performance requirements, one or more individual cores may fail under the same operating environment. In some cases, failure of only one core may cause an entire MCP structure to fail specifications, even though most or all of the rest of the cores perform within specifications. Thus, the total costs involved in deploying an MCP chip may exceed those of alternative multi-chip solutions due to lower manufacturing yields.